THE Murray Smith Accountants Cheshire County Cricket League's 31st season opens on Saturday, with Bowdon seeking a record fourth successive ECB Premier League title, Burnage and Sale providing welcome new blood in Division Two and the Fred Graham Trophy becoming a Twenty/20 mid-week knock-out boosted by £2,000 sponsorship from Middleton brewers John Willy Lees.

Not even Cheadle Hulme in their pomp in the 70s and 80s managed to win the top division four seasons running, but this is what Bowdon aim to do with Steve Bramhall remaining at the helm. The ECB Premier League champions, who also won the Graham Trophy and Cheshire Cup last season, open their campaign at Toft, newly-promoted from Division One. Toft have come up alongside village club Christleton who were playing in the Cheshire League four short seasons ago and have risen remarkably quickly through the Cheshire pyramid. They travel to 2004 runners-up Oulton Park, desperately keen to win their first title after conceding a 36 points lead at midway last summer.

There's a Wirral derby to relish between Oxton and Neston who both have much-changed teams while remaining under the respective captaincies of Neil Cross and Ben Thomas. Making his debut for Neston will be Lancashire all-rounder Andrew Crook, while Oxton introduce England Deaf international fast bowler Paul Allen from Winnington Park.

Hyde's square is not yet ready for 1st XI cricket after slow spring growth and their home fixture against Alderley Edge, newly-captained by Mark Currie, has been switched.

Chester Boughton Hall host Nantwich, captained by Chris Hampshire and Widnes, with former Pakistan Test all-rounder Shahid Mahboob making his debut, are at home to Poynton.

Promoted Cheadle, who won their first championship last season since becoming founder members in 1975, are at home to neighbours Cheadle Hulme in Division One, while the other promotees Heaton Mersey host Alsager. Relegated duo Macclesfield and Didsbury are at home to Warrington and Urmston respectively. Didsbury are led by former Cheshire all-rounder Stuart Stoneman, back in the region after a spell working in Devon.

In Division Two, Burnage play their first game at relegated Brooklands with Sale - back in the league after an absence of only 12 months - host relegated Grappenhall, who have former Lancashire all-rounder Richard Green at the helm.

Panel umpires' expenses have been raised to £27 (Premier League) and £24 (Divisions One/Two)

A total of 26 Overseas players had been registered up to last weekend, most of them - not surprisingly in an Ashes year - being Australian all-rounders.

On Sunday, 10 league clubs figure in the first round of the National Knockout for the Cockspur Cup. Involved in three different regional groups will be Warrington, Didsbury, Hyde, Urmston, Timperley (v Widnes), Oxton, Neston, Alsager and Nantwich. Four more have byes into round two.

The 3rd XI Cup tournament for the Jack Gardner Trophy starts in mini league form over the first two weekends of the season starting with 10 group games on Sunday.

The new-look Fred Graham Trophy will be launched with four preliminary round games by early June. Players in all matches will be provided with free beer by Lees, with £850 set aside for prize money on Finals Day at Warrington on Sunday, August 14.

OPENING FIXTURES ON SATURDAY, APRIL 23rd:

ECB PREMIER LEAGUE, 12.30pm:

Alderley Edge v Hyde

Chester Boughton Hall v Nantwich

Oulton Park v Christleton

Oxton v Neston

Toft v Bowdon

Widnes v Poynton

FIRST DIVISION, 1 pm:

Birkenhead Park v Winnington Park

Bramhall v Upton

Cheadle v Cheadle Hulme

Didsbury v Urmston

Heaton Mersey v Alsager

Macclesfield v Warrington

SECOND DIVISION, 1pm:

Bollington v Timperley

Bredbury St. Mark's v Middlewich

Brooklands v Burnage

Congleton v Irby

Sale v Grappenhall

Tattenhall v Mobberley

2nd XI PREMIER DIVISION, 1pm:

Bowdon v Toft

Hyde v Alderley Edge

Nantwich v Chester Boughton Hall

Neston v Oxton

Timperley v Didsbury

Upton v Widnes

2nd XI FIRST DIVISION, 1pm:

Alsager v Heaton Mersey

Cheadle Hulme v Congleton

Poynton v Bramhall

Urmston v Oulton Park

Warrington v Brooklands

Winnington Park v Birkenhead Park

2nd XI SECOND DIVISION, 1pm:

Burnage v Macclesfield

Christleton v Bollington

Grappenhall v Sale

Irby v Cheadle

Middlewich v Bredbury St. Mark's

Mobberley v Tattenhall

3rd XI SATURDAY DIVISION, 1pm:

Birkenhead Park 3rd v Warrington 3rd

Brooklands v Oxton

Cheadle Hulme v Urmston

Chester Boughton Hall 4th v Upton 4th

Irby 3rd v Neston 3rd

Neston 4th v Irby 4th

Timperley v Macclesfield

Upton 3rd v Chester Boughton Hall 4th

Warrington 4th v Birkenhead Park 3rd

Sunday, April 24th

COCKSPUR CUP NATIONAL KO 1st ROUND, 1pm:

Group 5

Bowdon bye

Kearsley v Warrington

Prescot & Odyssey v Didsbury

Hyde v Netherfield

Urmston v Bradshaw

Alderley Edge bye

Group 6

Timperley v Widnes

Bramhall bye

Oxton v Wavertree

Neston v St Helens

Chester Boughton Hall bye

Group 7

Alsager v Barnt Green

Nantwich v Halesowen

3rd XI JACK GARDNER TROPHY

Mini group round one, 1pm:

Group l: Birkenhead Park v Didsbury

Group 2: Ashley v Cheadle Hulme

Group 3: Alderley Edge v Sale

Group 4: Tattenhall v Marple

Group 5: Ashton on Mersey v Heaton Mersey

Group 6: Neston v Nantwich

Group 7: Christleton v Bramhall

Group 8: Bredbury St. Mark's v Alsager

Group 9: Macclesfield v New Brighton

Group 10: Cheadle v Hale Barns

The mini group rounds continue on Sunday, May 1st and Bank Holiday Monday, May 2nd.

JW LEES TWENTY / 20 FRED GRAHAM TROPHY

Preliminary round to be completed by Friday, June 3rd:

Zone 1: Upton v Oxton

Zone 4: Toft v Macclesfield

Zone 7: Heaton Mersey v Burnage

Zone 8: Poynton v Hyde

OVERSEAS PLAYERS

Overseas players registered to play in the league up to Monday, April 18, are:

ALSAGER: Ashwin Punja (Indian batsman, returning for second season; scored 627 at 52.25 in 2004);

BIRKENHEAD PARK: Kashif Rasheed (Pakistan batsman, 24, played in Central Yorks League for Buttershaw St. Paul's in 2003-04);

BOLLINGTON: Anthony Thomas (Australian all-rounder, 21, plays A Grade at Geraldton, Western Australia. Uncle is former Australian Test player John Maguire);

BOWDON: Michael Johnstone (Australian wicket-keeper/batsman, plays in Mornington Peninsular Grade A, Melbourne; Level 2 coach).

BRAMHALL: Peter Zybrands (Australian all-rounder, 20, plays in Sydney Grade 2 for Fairfield/Liverpool);

BREDBURY ST. MARK's: Matthew Cations (Australian bowller, returning for second season; in 2004 took 52 wickets at 20.20);

CHEADLE: Peter Manser (Australian bowler, returning for second season; in 2004 created Division 2 record with 70 wickets at 12.99);

CHEADLE HULME: Chris McCabe (Aiustralian fast bowler, returning for second spell in three seasons; plays in Brisbane A Grade for Sunshine Scorchers; in 2003 took 36 wickets at 22.70);

CHRISTLETON: Daron Cruikshank (Trinidad all-rounder, 19, plays for Queens Park 3rd XI in Port of Spain grade cricket);

DIDSBURY: Brendan McDonald (Australian leg-spinner, 22, plays Sydney Grade 1 for North Sydney; played for Formby in 2004 and was chosen for League Cricket Conference; level 1 coach);

HEATON MERSEY: Walleed Enos (South African batsman, 20, plays for Montrose in Western Province Division 1);

HYDE: Leigh Heazlewood (Australian bowler, returning for second season; in 2004 scored 104 runs at 26 and took 44 wickets at 22.09);

MACCLESFIELD: Stuart Bohaska (Australian bartsman, 22, plays in Melbourne Grade 1 for Footscray Edgewater);

NESTON: Andrew Crook (Australian all-rounder, 24, plays for South Australia A, ex-Australian Academy and Leicestershire 2nd; was Great Harwood professional in 2004; Lancashire Contracted player 2005-06);

OULTON PARK: Andrew Robinson (Australian barsman, plays Queensland Grade 1 for Gold Coast Dolphins; ex-Queensland A, previous visits to UK in 2003-04 to play for Rainsford and Ormskirk; Level 1 coach);

POYNTON: Derwin Thompson (Barbados all-rounder., returning for fourth season; in 2002-03-04 scored 2,673 runs and took 75 wickets);

SALE: Jean-Pierre Lee (South African left-arm fast boweer, 24, plays for Pretoria Old Boys in Pretoria Premier League; ex- Northerns B; level 2 coach);

TIMPERLEY: Ryan Edwards (New Zealand all-rounder, plays for Nelson in South Island Grade A; Level 1 coach);

UPTON: Joe Camarsh (Australian leg-spinner, plays in Sydney Grade 2 for St. George's);

URMSTON: Deepek Kumar (Trinidan all-0ounder, plays for Queens Park 1st XI in Trinidad & Tobago Carib National League Division 1; level 1 coach);

WIDNES: Cameron Park (Australian all-rounder, 33, plays in Mornington Peninsular Grade A, Melbourne);

WINNINGTON PARK: Aiden Baker (Australian batsman, plays Sydney Grade 2 for Manly);

Contracted player:

NESTON: Simon Marshall (Lancashire all-rounder).